Computer testing system and method

ABSTRACT

A system for testing a computer includes a single chip microcontroller (SCM), an environmental test chamber, and a control device connected to the SCM and the environmental test chamber. The SCM repeatedly switches the computer on and off and monitors the computer&#39;s response. The environmental test chamber accommodates the computer. The control device receives monitored data from the SCM and controls temperature and humidity in the environmental test chamber.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a computer testing system and method.

2. Description of Related Art

After a computer is produced, quality tests are required. One of thetests is for testing stability of the computer when the computer isturned on or turned off. In testing, the computer is powered on and offrepeatedly.

A test device for testing stability of a computer includes a single chipmicrocontroller (SCM) connected to the computer. The SCM sends controlsignals to repeatedly switch the computer on and off and detects whetherthe computer powers on and off according to the control signals.However, the test device cannot test the computer under variousenvironmental conditions, which means problems may go undetected.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referencesto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a block diagram of a computertesting system.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a data gathering card of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a control device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of a flow chart of a computer testingmethod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation. In the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodiedin hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions,written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, orassembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may beembedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated thatmodules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates andflip-flops, and may also comprise programmable units, such asprogrammable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein maybe implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may bestored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storagedevice.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a testing system includes anenvironmental test chamber 10, a general purpose interface bus (GPIB)communication card 30, a control device 40, a power supply 50, a singlechip microcontroller (SCM) 60, and a data gathering card 70. A computer20 is placed in the environmental test chamber 10. The computer 20 isconnected to the power supply 50 and the SCM 60. The SCM 60 sendscontrol signals to switch the computer 20 on and off and detects whetherthe computer 20 responds and powers on and off according to the controlsignals. The control device 40 is connected to the GPIB communicationcard 30. The GPIB communication card 30 is connected to theenvironmental test chamber 10, the power supply 50, and the SCM 60 viathe GPIB communication card 30. The GPIB communication card 30 transmitsinstructions sent from the control device 40 to the environmental testchamber 10, the power supply 50, and the SCM 60.

Referring to FIG. 2, a temperature sensor 71, a humidity sensor 72, anda voltage meter 73 are mounted on the data gathering card 70. Thetemperature sensor 71 senses temperature in the environmental testchamber 10. The humidity sensor 72 senses humidity in the environmentaltest chamber 10. The voltage meter 73 measures voltages at predeterminedtest points of the computer 20. The data gathering card 70 is connectedto the SCM 60 and sends the measured data to the SCM 60.

Referring to FIG. 3, the control device 40 includes a parameter settingmodule 41, a test report generating module 42, a test process controlmodule 43, a data receiving module 44, an environmental test chambercontrol module 45, and a power supply control module 46. The parametersetting module 41 is used to set test parameters including: total testtime, sequence of instructions, etc. The test process control module 43is connected to the parameter setting module 41 and controls testprocess according to the preset parameters. The data receiving module 44receives data from the GPIB communication card 30 and sends data to thetest process control module 43. The environmental test chamber controlmodule 45 is connected to the test process control module 43, andcontrols the temperature and humidity in the environmental test chamber10 according to instructions sent from the test process control module43. The power supply control module 46 is connected to the test processcontrol module 43 and controls on/off state of the power supply 55according to instructions sent from the test process control module 43.The test report generating module 42 is connected to the test processcontrol module 43. The test process control module 43 controls the testreport generating module 42 to generate test reports after the testprocess control module 43 receives data from the data receiving module44. The test reports include on/off frequency of the computer 20,voltages at the test points, temperature and humidity conditions, etc.

Referring to FIG. 4, an embodiment of a computer testing method basedupon the computer testing system includes the following blocks.

In block S01, the system is initialized.

In block S02, the control device 40 sends instructions to adjust thetemperature and humidity in the environmental test chamber 10 accordingto the preset parameters. In this block, the test process control module43 sends instructions to the environmental test chamber control module45 according to the parameters set by the parameter setting module 41.The environmental test chamber control module 45 controls thetemperature and humidity in the environmental test chamber 10 accordingto the instructions sent from the test process control module 43.

In block S03, the temperature sensor 71 and the humidity sensor 72 sensethe temperature and the humidity in the environmental test chamber 10and sends the sensed temperature and humidity to the SCM 60. The SCM 60sends the sensed temperature and humidity to the GPIB communication card30. The GPIB communication card 30 sends the sensed temperature andhumidity to the control device 40.

In block S04, the control device 40 sends an instruction to switch onthe power supply 50 when the temperature and humidity in theenvironmental test chamber 10 reach predetermined values. In this block,the test process control module 43 sends the instruction to the powersupply control module 46. The power supply control module 46 controlsthe power supply 50 to be switched on according to the instruction.

In block 505, the SCM 60 repeatedly switches the computer 20 on and offaccording to the predetermined frequency.

In block S06, the voltage meter 73 detects the voltages at the testpoints of the computer 20 and sends the voltage values to the datareceiving module 44.

The data receiving module 44 sends the data sent from the data gatheringcard 70 and the SCM 60 to the test process control module 43. The testprocess control module 43 controls the test report generating module 42to generate test reports.

While the present disclosure has been illustrated by the description ofpreferred embodiments thereof, and while the preferred embodiments havebeen described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict orin any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details.Additional advantages and modifications within the spirit and scope ofthe present disclosure will readily appear to those skilled in the art.Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific detailsand illustrative examples shown and described.

Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of methods describedmay be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may bealtered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claimsdrawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certainsteps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed foridentification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for thesteps.

1. A system for testing a computer comprising: a single chipmicrocontroller (SCM) for repeatedly switching on or off the computerand monitoring the computer; an environmental test chamber foraccommodating the computer; a control device, connected to the SCM andthe environmental test chamber, adapted to receive monitored data fromthe SCM and controls temperature and humidity in the environmental testchamber.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device isconnected to the SCM and the environmental test chamber via a generalpurpose interface bus (GPIB) communication card.
 3. The system of claim2, further comprising a power supply connected to the control device,and the control device is adapted to switch on the power supply when thetemperature and humidity in the environmental test chamber reachpredetermined values.
 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising adata gathering card connected to the environmental test chamber and theSCM, and the data gathering card is adapted to sense the temperature andhumidity in the environmental test chamber and measure voltages on testpoints of the computer.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the datagathering card comprises a temperature sensor to sense the temperature,a humidity sensor to sense the humidity, and a voltage meter to measurethe voltages on the test points.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein thecontrol device comprises a test process control module and a parametersetting module connected to the test process control module, and thetest process control module is adapted to control a test processaccording to predetermined parameters set by the parameter settingmodule.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control device furthercomprises an environmental test chamber control module connected to thetest process control module, and the environmental test chamber controlmodule is adapted control the temperature and humidity in theenvironmental test chamber according to instructions sent from the testprocess control module.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controldevice further comprises a power supply control module connected to thetest process control module, and the power supply control module isadapted switch on or off the power supply according to instructions sentfrom the test process control module.
 9. A method comprising: placing acomputer in an environmental test chamber; adjusting temperature andhumidity in the environmental test chamber; switching on or off thecomputer repeatedly; measuring voltages on test points of the computer;and generating a test report.
 10. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising setting parameters by a parameter setting module, and theparameters comprises total test time, sequence of instructions.
 11. Thesystem of claim 10, further comprising sensing temperature and humidityin the environmental test chamber.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising sending the sensed temperature and humidity to a controldevice which generates the test report.
 13. The method of claim 12,further comprising instructing a power supply connected to the computeto be powered on when the temperature and humidity in the environmentaltest chamber reach predetermined values.